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About the BFL
The BFL Format The BFL is basically a spring league that plays into early August, which is around the start of NFL training camps. The BFL is revolutionary in the fact that only 5 teams are eligible to play in the league's Alpha Cup Final at the end of the season, due to the league's inaugural divisional advancement system. There are 20 teams, split up into 4 divisions. The teams in Divisions 2 though 4 play for promotion to the next division. Only the teams of Division 1 can become BFL Champions at the end of the season. Each team plays a 15-game schedule, not including the playoffs. Instead of the classic 15:00 4-quarter system the NFL used, the BFL utilizes a 15:00 per half system. In 2020, the BFL implemented a 2 Round Draft that allowed undrafted players from the NFL Draft, as well as players coming in from the NFL to be selected in a sort of lottery draft. Following the 2021 BFL-NLF Agreement however, the league was able to allow the draft to feature just college players, with a sharp increase in talent coming in from college. The now 20 teams of the BFL play in their own stadiums, though to the current day, only the Texas MetroDome, which houses the Houston Wranglers and Dallas Vigilantes, is built to house more than 50,000 fans, at 52,300. Despite the league being announced in 2013, the first official BFL game didn't take place until 2015. The 2-year delay gave the then 16 teams time to secure proper funding and build their own stadiums. The BFL Draft & Free Agency Prior to the 2020 season, the BFL had no draft format in place. Teams would find and sign talent from anywhere they could through open tryouts, and free agency at the end of the season, which only lasted for about two weeks. But thanks to factors such as an increase in interest in the league, and The BFL-NLF Agreement, the BFL was able to finally execute a successful league draft in 2020. The initial draft lasted three rounds, and featured college players as well as free agents. It was well received by personnel involved. But league owner Jim Tading wasn't satisfied just yet. He worked to find a way to make the draft even more exciting, and that he did. As of 2021, the format stands as follows: exactly one month after the end of the BFL postseason, the offseason begins with the first wave of free agency. This wave only lasts three days, and serves the purpose of allowing players who immediately know where they want to sign the opportunity to do so. After that, all 20 teams are afforded three opportunities to scout draft prospects (which include all unsigned players and coaching personnel from the first wave of free agency and college prospects deemed eligible). Individual workouts, team scrimmages and interviews. Then comes the draft. Three rounds. Worst to first. Coin toss to decide ties in team record. Anyone undrafted can be signed in the second wave of free agency, which lasts exactly 14 days. Teams of The BFL Division 1 (Play for Alpha Cup) Division 2 Division 3 Division 4 (Records shown are from the 2021-2022 season)